The Yoga of Knowledge

Krishna builds on verse 2.14: if you can endure life's ups and downs, here's why it matters. The person who stays steady (dhīram) through pleasure and pain—sama-duḥkha-sukham, equal in distress and happiness—becomes eligible for amṛtatvāya, liberation. This isn't suppressing emotions or becoming robotic. It's discovering an inner stability that doesn't depend on what's happening. Your circumstances will always fluctuate. The question is: will your peace fluctuate with them? The steadiness Krishna describes transforms you at the deepest level, making you free.